Since I moved here to South Carolina I have had pretty much everyone tell me the same thing on where to go for a day trip: Charleston. Out of all the suggestions I received on where to travel when I wanted to escape Myrtle Beach it wasn’t really even close. Co-workers, friends, and random people I talked to all said I needed to pay a visit sooner rather than later to the historic town. Today we made that happen.

I attended 7:30 a.m. mass at St. Andrew’s and then I hustled home and within a few minutes Sidney was outside my apartment complex ready to take me on an adventure. I hopped in her car and we picked up Kendra and Josh, two dear friends of Sidney, who celebrated their first wedding anniversary today. With the car full we made the roughly 90 minute drive to the city of Charleston, South Carolina.

This was our travel party! Sidney is in the driver’s seat and then Kendra and Josh in the back.

The city of Charleston is very old, dating back to the 1600’s. The place is chockfull of rich history. However, before we experienced some of the history we decided to experience some of downtown. When we arrived in Charleston we took a water taxi that transported us through the inlet waters of the Atlantic Ocean to the dry land of downtown Charleston. To get to the heart of the downtown area though we had to walk through streets lined with historic houses that pretty much sat on the streets themselves (no yards and very little sidewalk). Mixed in with the houses were restaurants and roof top bars. Every now and then an alley way would open up and you would look down it and see nothing but green vegetation and beautiful ivy.

We used a water taxi to help us get around Charleston.

We explored King Street, the premiere strip in downtown Charleston. Shops, restaurants, vendors, and attractions give the area a unique and colorful atmosphere. Sidney and I watched a man parade around a giant pig in the middle of the street as a crowd grew around it. We passed the crowd and dipped into a restaurant called The Kickin’ Chicken. After watching the French Open awards ceremony inside the restaurant we were joined by Kendra and Josh and we all enjoyed a nice lunch.

From there we walked past downtown and entered a park type area called Marion Square. White tents were set up all around with art work inside. Also in the area was a large pillar with a statue of John Calhoun on top of it. Of particular interest though was the original Citadel building located in the northeast portion of Marion Square. Seeing the history and the 150+ year old building was pretty sweet. But then the rain started to come…

Sidney and I in front of the Old Citadel.

As we went through Marion Square we got caught in some southern rain. After taking cover for a few minutes we braved the elements and walked to a marina where we purchased tickets for the Charleston Harbor Tour. With the rain still pouring we boarded a boat that would showcase some of the most significant history of the city and other points of interest. Probably the highlight of the tour for me was seeing Fort Sumter, one of the most recognizable and important structures of the Civil War. We also got to see a church that George Washington attended, a sweet carrier, and an up close view of the major bridge in Charleston. We also got treated to some wildlife as dolphins swam in close proximity to the boat and pelicans dove into the water.

Fort Sumter from the vantage point of our boat.

After the tour we took the water taxi back to the area where we were parked at. Sidney and I went to a restaurant called the Fish House and went upstairs to the open air deck and enjoyed flat bread. Kendra and Josh continued the sightseeing and toured a battleship! Soon though we met back up again and jumped in Sidney’s car and made the return trip to Myrtle Beach. While it was the final destination for Sidney and I, Kendra and Josh had to get into their own vehicle and travel a couple more hours to their home of Wilmington, North Carolina. Most likely as I post this they will finally be arriving at home sweet home.

Thanks to Sidney for making this trip happen. I had a great time.

I thoroughly enjoyed making this day trip today. It marked the first true southern city other than Myrtle Beach/Conway that I have actually got to explore. Thanks to Sidney for planning a great trip and driving and thanks to Kendra and Josh for letting us spend their anniversary with them. I can’t wait for the next adventure. Don’t Blink.